Compare And Contrast The Babylonian Code Of Hammurabi

In spite of being established nearly 4,000 years ago, the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi exhibits a myriad of similarities that reflect our modern-day system of law. Marriage, divorce, land ownership, adultery, alimony, and inheritance were all social issues addressed in Hammurabi’s Code that are still relevant in today’s society Additionally, it appears as if one of the main motivations for erecting the law code was to maintain a sense of status quo within the society. A number of laws within the code outline how to resolve conflicts between two or more parties. If a crime were to be committed, there would be a specific punishment established to handle the situation accordingly. Similarly to ours, Hammaurbi's law code reflected a certain amount

By examining these deviations, one can gain a more detailed understanding of Babylonian society. For example, it is notable that Babylonian society did not place the same value on lives as we do. The death penalty is considered one of the most extreme forms of capital punishment that exists and it is typically reserved for criminals who have committed heinous crimes. Yet, within Babylonian society, the death penalty was a common punishment for crimes that could be viewed as insignificant in comparison. However, harsh punishments were typically reserved for individuals of a lower class. The upper class enjoyed more societal privileges such as receiving a lighter sentence for a particular crime. Babylonian society was defined by a strict social hierarchy composed of freemen, dependents, and slaves. Further, monetary status also aided heavily in defining an individual's societal status. For instance, in law code number 8, a man accused of theft was expected to pay a fine as a punishment. However, if the individual accused was too impoverished to satisfy the fine, they would be executed. It is also important to note that Hammurabi's code contained no laws defining citizens' rights or freedoms. This further cements that citizens were not necessarily valued as

In law code number 195, it was clear that male parental figures were highly respected members within the family household, and that harming him would result in harm upon yourself. Moreover, The Babylonians valued monogamous relationships and loyalty within a marriage as adultery was regarded as an offense worthy of execution. An arrangement was made for the wife and child to receive some of the husband's property in the event of a divorce. While families were valued, we can observe from the law code that the Babylonians lived in a patriarchal society where women were subordinate to men. According to law code number 110, women who were heavily involved in religious organizations were prohibited from drinking, and failing to do so would result in death by immolation. However, women were able to enjoy some form of privileges, such as the previously mentioned receiving a form of alimony after getting divorced from their